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Hurricane Iota (Bruh Season)
Hurricane Iota was the strongest December Atlantic hurricane on record. It was the thirtieth named storm, seventeenth hurricane and tenth major hurricane and final storm of the record-shattering 2031 Atlantic hurricane season. Iota caused $16.3 billion in damages and was one of the costliest storms in the season. It initially made landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula, causing minor damage and degenerating into a remnant before moving northwestward, regenerating, and intensifying to a Category 3 intensity, weakening into a Category 2 hurricane before making landfall in the Florida Panhandle. After landfall, Iota emerged into the Atlantic Ocean as a remnant low, briefly regenerating into a subtropical storm as it passed through the Outer Banks of North Carolina, before weakening into a subtropical depression and being absorbed by an extratropical cyclone over Nova Scotia. The system that developed into Iota killed 6 people in Central America due to heavy rain and landslides. In the Yucatán, where Iota made its first landfall, minor flooding resulted in $300 thousand in damages as houses suffered minor to moderate damage from the storm. It caused 4 deaths in the peninsula after a fishing boat went offshore. Most of the storm’s damages were in the Florida Panhandle, where 13 people died directly and indirectly as a result of the storm. Flooding and strong winds resulted in heavy damage, causing $16.1 billion in damages. In North Carolina, flooding and moderate winds resulted in an estimated $130 million in damages, and 3 people drowned after being caught in a rip current. __TOC__ Meteorological history Origins and Yucatán landfall A broad area of low pressure first developed off the coast of Nicaragua on December 16. Initially very disorganized, it began to move north-northeastward and then quickly turned to the northwest. Its center went through the coastal regions of neighboring Honduras for a little under a day before emerging into the Western Caribbean Sea, which featured surprisingly favorable conditions. Convection heavily increased and the disturbance began rapidly organizing as it meandered slowly north-northwestward on December 18 before becoming a tropical depression at 12:00 UTC that day. As it continued to slowly track closer to the Yucatán Peninsula, a Hurricane Hunters reconnaissance mission found gale-force winds in the system, with it being upgraded and named Tropical Storm Iota at 06:00 UTC on December 19. Iota's intensification would continue as it reached an initial peak intensity of 50 mph (85 km/h) at 00:00 UTC the next day. Iota then made landfall approximately seven hours later at a location around 10 miles south of Tulum, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). Iota rapidly weakened as it traversed across the northern Yucatán Peninsula and then emerged into the Gulf of Mexico, and at 06:00 UTC on December 21, the storm degenerated into a remnant low in the face of high wind shear. First regeneration, rapid intensification, and peak intensity The disorganized remnants of Iota would continue to be monitored by the National Hurricane Center as the system moved toward the northeast, although redevelopment was not initially forecast. By the next day, the remnants of Iota began rapidly reorganizing as more favorable conditions were encountered. The system formed a fully closed circulation even as the center skimmed the coastline near Tampa Bay, and it was officially upgraded to a tropical depression at 18:00 UTC on December 22. Iota began to sharply turn towards the west soon thereafter, with its forward speed heavily decreasing, as it continued to slowly intensify. Early on December 24, a Hurricane Hunters aircraft found gale-force winds in Iota, prompting an upgrade to tropical storm status at 00:00 UTC. As Iota continued to slowly turn towards the northwest, it encountered an area with abnormally high sea-surface temperatures and low wind shear, and a period of rapid intensification began. Within 24 hours, large parts of the convection had consolidated into a central dense overcast and a small eye began to form in the center of the somewhat compact storm; it was upgraded to a hurricane at 00:00 UTC on December 25 with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (160 km/h) 120 miles south-southeast of Panama City, Florida. Six hours later, Iota reached Category 2 intensity as it continued to meander towards the Florida Panhandle. Iota's intensification would continue as its eye became clearly defined and data from a Hurricane Hunters aircraft indicated maximum sustained wind speeds of 115 mph (185 km/h)—corresponding to a Category 3 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale—at 18:00 UTC on December 25; at this time, Iota was approximately 35 miles south of Destin, Florida. Iota's pressure also bottomed out at 967 mbar (28.56 inHg) at this time. Florida landfall and degeneration This peak intensity would not last for long, as Iota ran into colder waters while approaching the Florida Panhandle in an east-northeastward movement. The hurricane weakened to maximum sustained wind speeds of 105 mph (165 km/h) before it made landfall in Florida between the unincorporated communities of Rosemary Beach and Sunnyside at 23:00 UTC the same day. As Iota traversed through the Florida Panhandle and then southern Georgia, it rapidly weakened; within 12 hours after landfall, Iota had diminished to a tropical storm with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h), and six hours afterward, Iota transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone, eventually losing tropical-storm-force winds. The center of Iota's remnants would soon pass over Savannah, Georgia before emerging into the Atlantic Ocean. Second regeneration, North Carolina landfall, and demise of North Carolina on December 30]] Iota's remnants moved in an eastward direction as the system emerged into the Atlantic, and these remnants very quickly began reorganizing. As convection began rotating around the system's center and the system regained some tropical characteristics, it was classified as a subtropical depression at 06:00&nbspUTC on December 28. The system began to sharply turn in a southeastward direction, slowly intensifying. A Hurricane Hunters aircraft found gale-force winds in the poorly organized storm, prompting an upgrade to subtropical storm status at 12:00 UTC the next day. Iota then sharply turned towards the north-northwest, gaining in forward speed, as it somehow continued to intensify. Just 48 hours after it regenerated into a subtropical cyclone, Iota reached maximum sustained wind speeds of 50 mph (85 km/h) before making landfall nearly 3 hours later at 08:30 UTC on Hatteras Island in North Carolina. The storm's structure would quickly deteriorate as it passed through the Outer Banks; by the time it re-emerged into the Atlantic Ocean, it was barely holding on to tropical storm-force winds. Iota later was downgraded to a subtropical depression as it continued to weaken while paralleling the Mid-Atlantic coast. At 06:00 UTC on December 31, Iota was officially designated as a remnant low while its center was over western Rhode Island. Iota's remnants would later move eastward before being absorbed by an extratropical cyclone over Nova Scotia late the same day. Preparations Yucatán Peninsula As Iota was first upgraded to a tropical storm on December 19 (a little over 30 hours before landfall), Mexican officials issued a tropical storm warning between Puerto Costa Maya and Cancún, Quintana Roo. Around 800 people were forced to evacuate from low-lying areas across the eastern coast of the Yucatan around the time that these warnings were posted. In the days before landfall, many tourists and residents stocked up on food and supplies to ride out Iota. United States Florida As soon as the National Hurricane Center resumed its advisories for Iota on December 22, tropical storm and storm surge watches were issued from the Alabama/Florida border to the mouth of the Ochlockonee River. These were upgraded to tropical storm and storm surge warnings at 09:00 UTC on December 24, along with the posting of hurricane watches from the Okaloosa/Walton county line to Panama City. The hurricane watches were upgraded to warnings as Iota was upgraded to hurricane status early on December 25. The governor of Florida, Michael Ryne, declared a state of emergency in 13 countries on December 23, with mandatory evacuations for low-lying parts of Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, and Gulf counties. Thousands of more residents were asked to evacuate as Iota approached. North Carolina Upon the second regeneration of Iota on December 28, the National Hurricane Center immediately issued tropical storm watches from Surf City to the North Carolina/Virginia border; these were eventually upgraded to tropical storm warnings as Iota inched towards the Outer Banks of North Carolina. North Carolina's governor, Adam Mayers, declared a state of emergency in 13 counties across the Outer Banks on December 29. No evacuations were ordered as the storm's effects were expected to be relatively minor; still, some National Guard troops were deployed among other measures. Elsewhere At 09:00 UTC on December 24, tropical storm and storm surge warnings were placed from the Alabama/Florida border to the Mississippi/Alabama border. As Iota was rapidly intensifying south of the Florida Panhandle on December 24, two more states, Alabama and Georgia, would declare a state of emergency in some counties due to forecast effects. Early on December 30, tropical storm watches were issued from the Cape Charles Lighthouse in Virginia to the Great Egg Inlet in New Jersey as forecast models indicated the possibility that Iota could have brought tropical storm-force winds to these areas; however, as Iota weakened, these watches were dropped later the same day. Impact Central America The precursor disturbance of Iota caused torrential rain, landslides, flooding in portions of Honduras and Nicaragua, resulting in damage incurred to rural communities in both nations. At least 6 fatalities occurred in the region from Iota: 5 of these in Honduras and one in Nicaragua. The total damage in the region is estimated to be upwards of $80 thousand. Yucatán Peninsula on December 20]] As Iota passed through Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, it caused strong winds and rain upwards of 8 inches in some areas. Light to moderate property damage occurred across many areas, and thousands were temporarily displaced. Some flights were delayed at Cancún International Airport, however, none are known to have been canceled. A fishing boat went missing offshore; four of the people onboard were later found dead. Overall, damage was light to moderate, with estimates placed at around $300 thousand. United States It is estimated that Iota caused around US$16.2 billion in damage in the United States across five or more states. Over 1.6 million people were left without electricity due to damage caused by Iota. Florida Iota caused at least 4 deaths as it passed through the Florida Panhandle; 9 more deaths occurred during its passage that were indirectly related. Overall, the hurricane caused large amounts of damage in northwestern Florida, totaling approximately USD$16.1 billion. As the system was reforming late on December 22, the remnants of Iota brushed the coast of Florida near the city of Clearwater in the Tampa Bay area, bringing moderate amounts of rainfall and causing minimal damage. Later, Iota made landfall as a weakening Category 2 hurricane at 5:00 PM CST (23:00 UTC) on December 25. Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida (approximately 30 mi or 50 km/h ESE of Iota at landfall) recorded a wind gust of 73 mph (117 km/h) and maximum sustained winds of 56 mph (90 km/h); the base itself sustained moderate damage. It is estimated that wind gusts as high as 125 mph (205 km/h) could have occurred within Iota's eyewall as it made landfall. As it made landfall, Iota produced a storm surge reaching approximately 8 feet (2.4 meters) in some areas affected by the hurricane's eyewall, resulting in heavy flooding of Lake Powell in Camp Helen State Park and surrounding areas, as well as in portions of St. Andrews Bay. The entirety of the Florida Panhandle received rain, with the highest measured total at 16 inches (40.6 cm); some of this rain-induced flash flooding in areas further from the coast. Hundreds of homes in beach towns on Florida's gulf coast sustained heavy damage from flooding. Strong winds and rainfall from Iota caused widespread property damage elsewhere in the region, damaging residential buildings (especially mobile homes), businesses, schools, and other buildings in many neighborhoods. Multiple roads and highways, including segments of U.S. Route 98 were closed due to flooding and debris. Across northwestern Florida, Iota's winds knocked down trees and power lines, resulting in damage to homes and power outages impacting large swaths of the Florida Panhandle and shutting down power for upwards of 700,000 customers. Some homes experienced outages for up to a week due to Iota. Multiple EF0 tornadoes were spawned by Iota's rainbands as the hurricane passed through the Florida Panhandle, including one that touched down in the outskirts of Panama City. Generally, the damage that these tornadoes caused were negligible. North Carolina Iota made landfall on Cape Hatteras as a subtropical storm at 3:30 AM EST (08:30 UTC) on December 30. A weather station in the Outer Banks reported maximum sustained winds of 46 mph (74 km/h) with the highest wind gust measured at 62 mph (100 km/h). The storm caused heavy rainfall across the Outer Banks, with the highest total being 10.6 inches (27 cm). This rain led to flash flooding in multiple areas, causing damage to homes and other buildings. The arrival of Iota was also accompanied by heavy surf and rough seas, with some waves measured as reaching 13 to 15 feet (4.0 to 4.6 meters); 3 people drowned in North Carolina after being caught in rip currents created by Iota. Various towns and communities in the Outer Banks suffered property damage and power outages due to flooding and trees downed by strong winds. Upwards of 90,000 customers were left without power due to Iota. Estimates place damage from Iota in North Carolina at around USD$130 million. Elsewhere Iota would move over land into Georgia from Florida as a weakening minimal hurricane, continuing to weaken until it degenerated into a post-tropical cyclone on December 26, with the storm's remnants continuing eastward and later emerging after moving over Savannah. Overall, Iota caused moderate damage in southern Georgia, with rain and downed trees being the largest effects from the storm, along with power outages. Damage in the state was reported at US$6 million. As it emerged from the Outer Banks, Iota tracked some distance from the Mid-Atlantic coast (mainly affecting the states of Virginia, Delaware, and New Jersey), creating rough seas and rip currents. Iota caused minimal damage in these states. Aftermath United States president Wolf Haley signed an emergency declaration on December 24, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster effort. Residents in 15 Florida counties were eligible for federal aid due to the extensive damage from Iota. Three states and several local communities conducted their own initiatives to clean up debris and conduct other disaster work after Iota; the most extensive were in Florida, as governmental and nonprofit organizations alike worked to clean up and rebuild in the areas affected. Records and naming After completing the list of 21 tropical cyclone names for the second time ever (and the first since 2005, the NHC began naming storms with the Greek alphabet. When Iota was first upgraded to a tropical storm and then named, it was the first time that the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet was used for a tropical cyclone. Iota was the 30th (and final) named storm, 17th hurricane, and 10th major hurricane of the 2031 Atlantic hurricane season, all records. Following precedent set after the catastrophic 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, the World Meteorological Organization did not retire the name 'Iota' as they determined it "was not practical to 'retire into hurricane history' a letter in the Greek Alphabet." Iota remains on the auxiliary list of names in the event that another Atlantic hurricane season produces more than 21 named storms. With maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a central pressure of 967 mbar, Iota was the first major hurricane on record in the North Atlantic basin in the month of December. It made landfall on the Florida Panhandle with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h), the strongest off-season Atlantic hurricane landfall on record. Iota was also the first off-season major hurricane in the North Atlantic basin since Dylan just seven months prior. See also * List of Florida hurricanes * List of North Carolina hurricanes (2000–present) * List of Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes * Hurricane Stan – affected the Yucatán Peninsula as a minimal tropical storm * Hurricane Dolly (2008) – struck the Yucatán Peninsula as a tropical storm in its early stages * Hurricane Eloise – Category 3 hurricane that impacted the Yucatán Peninsula and the Gulf Coast of Florida * Hurricane Opal – impacted Mexico and Central America in its early stages, before affecting the Florida Panhandle as a major hurricane * Hurricane Earl (1998) – struck the Florida panhandle as a Category 2 hurricane * Hurricane Michael – struck the Florida panhandle as a Category 5 hurricane Category:Atlantic hurricanes Category:2031 Atlantic hurricane season (Bruh Season) Category:Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes Category:Hurricanes in Mexico Category:Florida Hurricanes Category:Astrohuncho